How Do We Deal With the End Of the World - Workshop for the artist-run sector
Juni 2019
Plovdiv, Bulgarien - Artist Initiative Meetings
How Do We Deal With the End Of the World - Introduction
(a workshop by the Syndicate of Creatures /Michelle Appelros and Signe Vad
Welcome – For starters we will make clear that the basis for this workshop is the notion that the world is broken and that we (as humans) are in a code red situation. (rising sea levels, over-population, loss of biodiversity, the 6th extinction)
This workshop is directed to artist and artist initiators, because it is our belief that if we want to minimize the antropocene damage we are already doing to the planet, we all (even artists) need to change our behaviour.
What does this mean for us artists and initiators? We are convinced that we need to start that conversation.
The human world has been boringly self obsessed for a long time, if not to say tormentingly off course and totally ignorant, leading to a devastating repression and eradication towards critters and growths around us.
For a long time it has felt like there were a few Cassandra’s, standing in Troy trying to tell everyone that the total disaster is near. Now the house is clearly burning and many finally sees it and reacts. It is a crazy situation, it is a serious situation
Recently The Guardian one of the leading medias in Europe has decided to change its vocabulary, because of how we talk about things influence how we do things.
It seems totally absurd to be standing here and talking about the end of the world. But crazy situations need crazy actions
A lot of interesting new actions are taking place and other voices are being heard
A lot of rethinking is happening and it is really needed and really exciting
It is the purpose of this workshop to start cooking new ideas for us artists and initiators. Because as artists we produce and as exhibitors we often work internationally; transport art and fly our self around on the planet, all in the name of the good – in the belief that art is truly important (and it is) but anyhow – could we rethink the idea of art and the art world. Our notion is that we are already in the change, that the old world of patriarchal power structures and capitalistic greed is the old world, that the growing of nationalistic / fascistic movements are desperate attempts to hold the old system and hierarchy in place, but the fundament is crumbling, change is coming and we like the new thinking.
This workshop is about rethinking, rethinking our way in the world, rethinking what we do and why, freeing us from patriarchal and modernistic norms and structures.
Maybe we are in the time of compost, maybe we should start thinking about our selves as part of the living planets life cycle, thinking biodegradable, thinking composting, our bodies are compost; if we let them they can nurture many new lives of a broad variety of species. Is our art so important that it should be held out of that wheel of the biosphere?
What if, the idea that humans are beyond the biosphere, is what is killing the living planet? Do we want to be part of that ideology?
Now we believe it is a question of how much extinction of species and human life that we can avoid.
About everybody doing their own little part.
Maybe one little piece at the time, can’t do it all at once.
We would open for a free talk about how to rethink our ways in the art world – a brainstorm where we might inspire each other with new perspectives and new ideas
In cph we collaborate with a whole bunch of others whom are concerned about the climate emergency and the whole notion of rethinking, but colleagues from the art scene we talk to, don’t seem to feel it’s concerning them. -Or feel the urging concern but don’t know how to start or where to turn.
We feel it starts with the conversation, or acknowledgement if you like.
Without condescending or competition but rather a loving nudge we need to help each other (invite) start the conversation. Lets start now and here..
Lets not focus on who’s not doing what but instead what can we do right now
How is the environment for rethinking in your geographical areas – lets make a round
Could this thinking be part of your “focus” from now on?
Do artworks need to “live” forever?
Do you as artists consider yourselves as producers?
-do we have a responsibility in this process? (meaning toxic materials etc)
-is it possible to think art pieces to be integrated in the living planets life cycle
We would like to hear your respond to this line of thinking